OF THE FAROE ISLANDS. 231 



Having established our head quarters in the house of the 

 Governor, Major Loebner, who entertained us with the greatest 

 hospitality, we engaged a servant and a guide, who both of 

 them occasionally acted as interpreters ; and the weather be- 

 ing unfavourable for commencing our journey, we delayed a 

 few days, in hopes of its improvement. We had selected 

 June, as a season most likely to afford us comfortable wea- 

 ther ; but during the whole month, we had not two days 

 together that it did not either rain or snow. August and 

 September, we found, were considered the most favourable 

 periods. During this delay, we had time to inform ourselves 

 of the best mode of travelling through the country. 



In Faroe, the term road means little more than direction, as 

 not even a path is to be discovered in some of the principal 

 routes, which are merely the most passable cuts across the 

 hills : occasionally a priest may save himself bodily labour, by 

 traversing these wastes on horseback ; but a stout man will ge- 

 nerally accomplish the same distance in less time on foot. 



Where a country is so entirely intersected by the sea, inland 

 communication is but seldom resorted to, nor would it at all 

 answer the purpose, where such constant intercourse is requi- 

 red; the inhabitants of the most distant parts being obliged to 

 repair almost weekly to Thorshavn, to draw their little por- 

 tions of grain from the Government store ; where the stock 

 is always so stinted, never more than a fortnight's allow- 

 ance is delivered at one time. Besides, all the habitations are 

 situated on the coast. Boats, therefore, afford the best mode 

 of travelling, and the only means of conveying goods. Even 

 to a stranger, there is no inducement to traverse the interior, 

 which presents nothing but dreary desolation. All the stri- 

 king scenery is on the coasts, and there only are minerals to 

 be procured ; for although Landt mentions, that the best zeo- 

 lites, 



